Never Ever
by Shadow Dranzer 55
Summary: In the world living alongside Humans are Hybrids, part Human part Dog. One Hybrid in particular gets involved in devious plots and loving arms. After escaping from his previous owner and finding a new home with Hilary, can Tala stop his former mistress in time before her fathers' plan come into fruition?
1. Chapter 1

Here's another story folks! So this is Never Ever (I know, All Saints). In this story there is no beyblading, so if that is what you want, this isn't for you. If you also don't like furries, this is not for you. Well I suppose they're not quite furries as much as they are just human hybrids.

But ANYWAY!

This story revolves around Tala mainly and how his life takes various sudden turns.

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1

Tala

_It was a cold morning on the streets of Japan. In an alleyway, there was a strange creature. She was half human, half dog. Her lower half was completely canine like with the back legs of a dog and the tail of one. Her hair and fur were red, eyes a beautiful purple. She wore nothing to cover her large breasts as they faintly dripped with milk. She had the ears of a red fox in place of human ears. The vixens' hair was long and reached down to the start of her elegantly long curved tail. Whining and yelping caught her attention. She smiled at seeing four puppies like herself lying on the cold floor. Three of them were boys and one was female. Two of the males had brown hair, tails and ears but their eyes were different. One brown haired pup had blue eyes whilst his brother had the vixens' eyes. The female was her twin and the last boy had her hair and blue eyes. They looked to be about a month old and rather cold. The hairstyles of the pups were also different. The two blue eyed male pups had hair that pointed out at the sides whilst the remaining brown haired boy had short tresses that barely reached his shoulders. The female pup had long hair reaching her upper back. The vixen smiled when the two brown haired boys started to suckle from her, pushing their red haired brother out of the way. It saddened her to see the skinny boy being pushed away by the twins. She knew he'd have confidence issues in the future. Her face lit up when a strong male creature like her came out of the shadows. His hair, ears and tail were brown and his hair spiked out at the sides, eyes icy blue but not menacing. He knew by the look on her face that the red haired boy had once again been bullied by his brothers. The new male took the remaining pups into his arms and cuddled them lovingly. It had not been too long since he and his partner were thrown onto the streets. They had once lived with humans as pets. At that point the vixen had been pregnant. The creatures seemed to lack a human voice, replaced by the vocal abilities of dogs that they were crossed with._

_Once the older boys had their feed, the last two pups were allowed their meal. The little family didn't care that the humans outside the alley hadn't noticed them or heard the yelping of their pups. After being tossed aside like unwanted toys when one of their masters died, the male creature no longer trusted humans. He felt betrayed as did his partner. Scavenging for food was hard but it was necessary to survive. Only children were kind to the stray creatures that lived in the alleys. The male creature knew this but he didn't like charity all that much but if his family didn't eat they would die and that fact pushed him to accept the kind offers of children who knew little of the danger they put themselves in. Whilst the younger pups had their meal, the older, stronger boys played with their father as practise for the future. They had little hope of being taken into a loving home or at least a pet store to be bought and taken home as gifts for little kids. Feeding four pups tired the vixen and she fell asleep shortly after the red haired twins finished so the male creature placed a blanket over her. He urged the pups close to their mother and snuggled closer for extra warmth. All the while, the male creature couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible would happen to his family and he would be powerless to stop it. Despite that, he slept peacefully until early afternoon when he would need to scavenge for more food. The pups were oblivious to their fathers' fear as they slumbered close to the breast of their mother, a comfort that they couldn't live without in the cold world that somewhat shunned them. The youngest male held his sister tightly, wanting to protect her from danger. The gesture told his parents that he'd be very close to the young vixen in the future._

_Years went by and soon the pups were at least four years old. Life on the streets was much harder now there were 6 mouths to feed with solid food. The years had taken their toll on the male creature as he worked tirelessly to keep his family alive. One day the pups were playing happily with their mother when she suddenly collapsed and stopped breathing. The pups panicked, confused as to why the vixen had fallen to the floor. The elder twin boys ran off to find their father whilst the red haired male pup stayed behind to protect his sister. That was until he had an idea. To get the attention of a human and beg them for help. Without thinking twice the pup dashed out onto the streets and started to pester the so far heartless humans. Some kicked him out of their way and others stayed clear in disgust of how dirty he was. But his prayers were answered when a kind looking man bent down to look at him. "What's wrong little guy? Are you hungry?" The pup moved away before the man could pick him up and tried leading him to the alley where his family lived. "You want me to follow you? Well alright but don't try anything." The fearful look in the pups' eyes told the man that the pup was distressed so he hurried after the child, arriving at the scene just as the brown haired boys returned with their father but he didn't look too good either. When he saw the human man he grew aggressive straight away until his body gave in, sending him crashing to the floor. The man watched sadly as the male creature pulled himself along the cold stone floor to reach his deceased partner before pulling the pups close to him as they were on the verge of tears. He tried to put on a brave face as poison slowly took his life away, giving each of the pups a stuffed toy to hold. In a last ditch attempt to save his family, the creature gave the human man a face that barely anyone could resist, his pupils wide making him look adorable. "It's okay. I'll make sure they go to a loving family. You've done well to keep your family alive this long. I need help down here!" With his job done, the creature slowly closed his eyes taking in the looks of fear and sadness on the pups' faces. He smiled and gave them all a lick on the cheek._

_Weeks went by after the pups were orphaned. The man who found them apparently owned a pet shop for creatures like themselves. With their parents gone, the pups were rather wild. The brown haired brothers would always bully the younger red haired boy and sometimes even push their little sister around, making her blue eyed twin angry. After a month or two, the twin boys had been adopted, leaving their brother and sister behind. One winter morning a purple haired purple eyed man came into the shop with a little girl that looked just him. The man looked rather mean and the shopkeeper didn't seem to like him. "Boris. How nice to see you this morning. I see little Karla is growing up fast." "Yes she is. Now Karla, go find what you want. I'll wait here." "Kay papa." The little girl looked at all the creatures in the moderately sized glass cases until her eyes landed on the red haired boy. "I want this one papa." The man named Boris looked down at the red haired twins, the boy in particular. "Are you sure Karla?" "Yeah!" "Alright. How much is this red haired male Hybrid?" "200 yen. I'd be careful of that one. He's rather feisty if people try to touch his sister. He won't go quietly." "We'll take him." The pup knew those words well as they'd been spoken when his brothers were purchased. He yelped and squirmed when the shop keeper picked him up, gripping the hands of his little sister tightly. The fear in her eyes made him very angry and he swiped at the nearest person, Boris. His little claws left some nasty marks on Boris's cheek. "I see what you mean. Have many people tried taking him?" "No. He always growled at them as a warning and they took it seriously. Their parents were poisoned some time ago. Be good to him. He's a nice pup once you get to know him." "You seem fond of the boy." "Yes. He was so afraid the day his parents died, running out into the streets to get help." The little vixen watched in fear as her brother was knocked unconscious and taken away, howling sadly._

A Hybrid boy about seventeen years old snapped out of his sleep, sweat running down his face. His hair, ears and tail were red in colour. The tail and ears were similar to those of a wolf. Icy blue eyes darted around fearfully at their surroundings. The Hybrid boy stretched and yawned, ending the exhalation with a whine. He sat down to scratch his left ear with his back foot, glad for the relief when the itch went away. A black collar was around his neck, allowing little freedom for breathing. Three other Hybrids were in the room, all male. Closest to him was a blonde haired teen with the ears and tail of a Rottweiler. He had a buff body build that made the wolf Hybrid shiver in fear. The second closest was a lilac haired Hybrid. His ears and tail were reminiscent of a Doberman Pinscher. He was muscular but retained a slim figure. Lastly there was a dark blue haired boy. He had the ears and tail of a German Shepherd. He was the smallest and thinnest of all the boys. Age wise, the Rottweiler Hybrid was the oldest, probably no older than nineteen years old. The Doberman Hybrid was roughly eighteen whilst the German Shepherd looked to be about fifteen at the most. The wolf soon became lost in his thoughts. Despite lacking human speech, Hybrids had the ability to think like humans and sometimes even walk like them. 'It was that dream again. My family left me. No that's not true. I was taken away from my sister. My brothers too. But why am I dreaming of them now? It's true I miss them dearly but so many years have gone by. I don't think I would recognise them now.' The turning of a lock brought the wolf out of his thoughts and he quickly began faking to sleep. A girl about his age with purple hair and eyes walked into the room, waking the other Hybrids from their slumber. The blonde had green eyes, the lilac haired Hybrid's eyes matched his hair and the bluenette had red eyes and a rather long nose. They all glared at the wolf until he looked at their mistress. "That's more like it, Tala. Time to get up now boys. We've got a long day ahead of us today." The Hybrids all growled a little in response, getting ready for the day.

The only thing humans taught Hybrids to do that they also had to do was brush their hair and teeth. Some rich people taught their Hybrids to walk on two legs and even speak. Most Hybrids who weren't wild were taught by their parents to eat with their hands and to wash them before every meal. Many humans even dressed their Hybrids with shirts or dresses since their lower halves were so awkward. Females could wear skirts but not trousers. Before eating, the Hybrids were walked by their owner, Karla. She was now a fine young woman with soft lips and plump breasts. Every boy in her classes at school had a crush on her and she never hesitated to flaunt her sexiness. She was also a bit of a slut. Not that Boris cared to stop her. He'd always told Karla to do what made her happy. But she was forbidden to get pregnant until it was time for her to have a family. During the walk, Tala resisted against the pull of his leash. He hated being walked, especially with his fellow Hybrids. People only stared as Tala tried his hardest to break free despite the collar around his neck strangling him with every pull of the leash. "Come on Tala. You're embarrassing me. Either start walking or I'll use the shock stick on you." Tala took Karla's threat seriously, knowing she wouldn't hesitate to hurt him in public. Karla may be the most attractive girl in Japan but she was a monster on the inside. 'How can anyone love her? Nobody ever sees what we go through. The training is tough. I can't take it anymore. If papa was here he'd rip her to pieces for hurting me. But he's not. Papa left us years ago.' Tala was snapped out of his thoughts by a sharp yank of the leash and he yelped in pain. "Start walking, Hybrid. Before I see fit to remove something." Tala did as he was told and matched the pace of the lilac haired Hybrid only to get bitten on the ear viciously. It saddened Tala greatly when his fellow Hybrid received no correction for his unnecessary actions.

When the dark of night pulled in, Tala decided to make his escape from Karla's evil clutches. He was careful not to wake the others as they slept quietly. Tala knew the youngest Hybrid had sharp hearing, tiptoeing out of their sleeping quarters. The security was minimal since no escapes had been attempted before so it was easy for Tala to slip past the guards without being seen or heard. His main issue was the front door. He could reach the handle easily on two legs and pull it down but unlocking the door would be a bother. Tala spotted an open window nearby and saw that as his only way out of the building. Outside, guards were patrolling the perimeter for intruders. Tala hid in the bushes to analyze their route and once he'd memorized it, he expertly and swiftly made his way to a wall low enough for him to climb over with enough momentum. With no guards in sight, Tala crouched down and dashed towards the wall, scaling it with ease. His agility and acrobatic skills was the only thing he had to thank his training for. And probably the ease of being able to scare people. Once he was outside the mansion walls, Tala ran with all his speed down the empty dimly lit streets. In no time, he reached the river. At first it looked like a dead end until Tala saw a hole in the bridge wall. When investigating, he was cautious. If a Hybrid was already living in the deep hole, Tala would have to find another place to hide. To Tala's luck the hole was empty. It looked like somebody had dug through the bridge support through to the earthen hill beyond to make a nice big cave. With no source for warmth, Tala curled up by one of the curving walls away from the entrance so if anybody came in, they wouldn't see him immediately. For a little while, Tala feared that Karla would find him and issue blood spilling punishment. He wondered if the human friends she had would ever discover her darkest secret. Outside the mansion, Karla was a pleasant girl. But inside, she was a demon. Tala pushed those gruelling thoughts to the back of his mind and slowly drifted into a peaceful sleep. The soft sound of a gentle breeze and the flowing river was enough to comfort the scarred Hybrid.

Morning came around fast and Tala woke up with his usual stretch and yawn. He scratched his right ear before taking a look outside. The sun was shining and the river flowed quietly. Tala was hungry but unsure if it was safe to go outside. He couldn't see any people for a few minutes and was about to walk out of the crevice until a group of teens appeared, forcing him back into the darkness. Tala surveyed the group in silence. He counted seven individuals in total but could hear an eighth somewhere. One of the visible bodies was definitely female. She was tall with slim, smooth legs, large breasts, chocolate brown hair and ruby red eyes. Since she was wearing denim shorts, Tala got a rough idea of big her butt was. The eighth, unseen presence was also female. The rest were boys of various heights, trends and ages. The oldest appeared to be a dual haired boy that was coloured grey and black. His eyes were a cold auburn. The second oldest wore Chinese attire. He was a spot taller that the grumpy looking boy with long raven black hair tied in a white wrap and honest gold eyes. Tala noticed the black haired teen also had little fangs and pointy ears with the addition of almost cat-like eyes. He and the auburn eyed teen were probably about seventeen years old. A blonde haired blue eyed lad was near them. He seemed to be American and a spot shorter than the two oldest chaps. Tala estimated him to be sixteen at the most. A midnight blue haired brown eyed boy caught Tala's attention next. He too looked to be sixteen years old, his hair tied into a low ponytail with a backwards facing cap upon his head. A geeky brunette sat some distance away so Tala couldn't see his eyes but aged him at around fifteen. The last boy was short and feisty. He had spiky red hair with green eyes and a strange scar on his forehead, probably no older than thirteen. Having identified the group, Tala stayed in the shadows to avoid conflict.

Several hours went by and the group didn't leave until late afternoon. They appeared to be friendly enough but Tala couldn't find the courage to face them. The eighth voice he'd heard came from the geeky boys' laptop and it was safe to say that Tala was a little freaked out. It had been hard for him to mask the growls of his stomach as he watched them eating at lunch time. Once the group had gone, Tala went to check if they'd left any scraps behind. Sadly all he could find was half a hotdog and a fairly empty cola can. Before a bird or another creature could swipe the food, Tala took it into the dark cave he currently called home. With very little food in his stomach, Tala considered foraging for some but the memory of how his parents died prevented him from leaving the cave. With a sigh, Tala curled up in his designated sleeping patch and listened to the sounds coming from outside. Deep down in his heart, Tala longed to be loved by at least one person. He hoped the group of teenagers would be back tomorrow and maybe he'd have the courage to face them. Tala closed his eyes when the cave stopped receiving light from outside, drifting into a silent sleep. One lone tear slithered down Tala's face as he remembered more of his forgotten past. The next morning Tala woke up when he heard the sound of laughing outside his home. Poking his head out a little, he saw the same group that had appeared the day before but something seemed different today. He flattened his ears and backed away when two of the boys began fighting, yelling harsh words at each other whilst the girl tried to prevent the fight from getting worse. Tala's hopes of more scraps were lost when the gang moved off early but the girl seemed to linger. She sat on the steps looking sad and a little depressed. Tala thought of leaving the safety of his cave to comfort the girl but decided against it when the raven haired boy returned and offered to walk her home. With half of the day left to waste, Tala went back to sleep having nothing better to do, ignoring the hungry complaints of his empty stomach. He suddenly found himself wondering how long it would be until Karla found him. Tala desperately hoped that she would never take him back to the mansion and the hellish life that had shaped him into who he was.

Tala got up early the next day so he could stretch his legs outside before the group of teenagers arrived. He had a few hours of freedom to bask in the sun until the blonde haired boys' voice pierced the air. Tala dashed back into his hole just in time to avoid being seen by the gang he was growing to trust. Like the first day Tala had seen the friends, they were happy with nothing to fight about he hoped. A heavenly aroma wafted its way to Tala's cave and he was almost tempted to steal it but he knew that stealing was wrong and decided against it. The girl looked around when Tala accidentally kicked a stone out of the cave. He'd tried to stop it but his reaction was slow. With the cave being so dark, if the girl did go in she wouldn't be able to see much. Tala moved to the very back of the cave, taking the darkness to his advantage. Outside, the girl was getting a little too curious. She moved to inspect the cave until the auburn eyed boy stopped her. "But Kai." "Stay clear from there. You don't know what could be lurking in that cave. I'll go." "But what if it's just a stray dog or something? We can't just leave it in there to starve." The boy now named as Kai looked at the girl sternly. "Hilary, if it was a dog or cat then it would've come out before now and made an attempt to steal our food. It may just be coincidence that the stuff we left here by accident the other day went missing by the time we got back but I've been hearing low growls the last few days we've been coming here." Tala listened quietly and kept his eyes on the cave entrance. The girls' name rang through Tala's mind as he tried to think of what he would do if the auburn eyed boy were to enter his domain. Attacking the boy would just get him hurt but anything could happen if he tried being friendly. The boys were in a debate of whether or not someone should check the cave out.

It was soon decided that Kai would go into the cave armed with a knife for his safety. Tala had not watched the humans addressing each other but he paired one name with the girl. Tala wondered which of the boys was Kai, waiting to see who would come walking in. He stayed perfectly still as the auburn eyed teen entered the cave, knife at the ready. Tala watched as Kai pulled a flashlight out of his pocket, quietly moving to hide behind a giant rock. Luckily for him, Kai didn't seem to care about taking a proper look around, surveying the masts that held up the ceiling. "Kai are you alright?" Tala flinched at the intrusion of a male voice that he recognised as he blonde haired boys' tone. Taking one final glance around Kai responded in his usual monotone voice. "Yeah I'm fine Max. It's just an empty cave. Happy now Hilary?" "I suppose. Well time for dinner boys." Tala's ears perked up but he didn't move until Kai vacated the cave. He listened quietly as the group of friends exchanged pleasantries. Tala had noticed that Kai spoke very little to the others and he wondered why. The sun soon began to set and the group moved off, leaving Hilary behind as she apparently wanted to be alone. Tala had watched her very closely during the day. She'd hardly touched her food and the reason soon became clear as she approached the cave entrance. Tala moved away out of instinct, hiding himself around the corner. Hilary crouched down with the remains of her dinner in hand, placing them just inside the entrance. Tala was confused by her actions until she spoke. "I know you're in there. Whatever you are. You can have this. I saved it for you. It's okay if you're scared. Come out when you're ready to face us. We're not gonna hurt you. I know the boys can be a little rowdy sometimes but you'll get used to them. I have to go now. I'll try and bring you more food tomorrow." Tala listened to the sound of distancing footsteps until they vanished from his hearing. Despite the girl being gone, Tala was still nervous as he approached the food she'd left for him. The smell of fish assailed Tala's nostrils as he began to eat slowly. Unbeknownst to him, the girl was watching from around the corner. She smiled at seeing Tala enjoying the food she'd given him. 'I'll take care of you. I promise.'

The next few days passed by and Tala saw nothing of the humans. But Hilary had held to her word and dropped off some leftovers every evening and watched him as he ate. Each time she placed her offering a little further away from the cave entrance to make Tala more comfortable. On the fifth day of not seeing Hilary and her friends, Tala was kept inside the cave by a downpour of rain. He'd lit a fire in the middle of the cave with some sticks and dried grass, circling the makeshift fireplace with stones. Tala's ears twitched when he heard the sound of footsteps splashing against the soggy ground. He peered out to see the group of teens all with coats over their heads and they were soaked to the bone, not to mention tired. "Man this rain came on with little warning. The news said it would be clear today." It was the blonde boy to have spoken but Tala barely remembered his name. 'If I don't do something they'll fall ill. After all the girl has done I owe her.' Tala's mind was made up when Hilary sneezed. He gently threw a stone outside, hitting Kai's foot. Tala had not intended to get his attention first but he wanted to help. "What the? There's a fire in there." "Big or small?" "Small and controlled. It looks like something does live in here after all. And I think it wants us to go in and warm ourselves up. Though don't go expecting the host to show itself. Come on." The group followed Kai into the cave and they were amazed at how roomy it was. Tala had hidden himself behind a rock, still nervous about facing Hilary and her friends. "Wow this place is huge. Someone must've built this a long time ago before the bridge was erected in front of the entrance. Hello? Is anyone here?" "Max, I already told you. Whoever or whatever lives in this cave probably won't come out since there are so many of us and one of them." "But they're brave enough to invite us in."

Max became distracted when Hilary sneezed again, helping her to sit down by the fire. She smiled and thanked Max for his help as the other boys huddled around the fire. Hilary looked around until her eyes rested on Tala's hiding place and she could just about see the tip of his tail. "Don't worry guys. He won't bite." The raven haired boy looked at Hilary feeling confused. "He? Have you seen what lives here Hilary?" "Sort of. I've been feeding him since the day we suspected there was something in here. He's just a little shy. To be honest, I think he was watching us whenever we were outside." "So where is he?" Hilary scowled at the young red head and thwacked him across the skull. "Leave him alone. The poor thing is probably frightened enough without you poking and prodding him. We'll leave once the rain dies down." Hilary sneezed a third time as she sat back down next to the raven haired teen. Tala looked down to his left and noticed a blanket was keeping somewhat warm behind him. He threw it out from behind the rock before getting the bluenette's attention by hitting him on the head with a pebble. "OW! Hey! Huh? Where'd that blanket come from?" "Tyson, just grab it. I think our host is worried about Hilary's health. But don't pester him." The boy now named Tyson did as he was told, moving toward the blanket slowly so not to frighten Tala. Tyson bent down and took the sheet of fabric in his hands. "Thanks bud. We owe ya one. You can come out. We won't hurt you." At those words Tala plucked up enough courage to poke his head around the rock, meeting Tyson's brown eyes. "Hey there little guy. Why don't you come sit with us and keep warm? This is your cave after all." Tala backed away with a whine, his ears flat down against his head. "Tyson, you're scaring him. Just leave the thing alone." "He's not a thing, Kai." Said young man looked at Hilary to see she was angry at his wording. "He's a Hybrid." "My apologies." Tala once again poked his head out from behind the rock as Tyson walked over to Hilary and wrapped the blanket around her. She noticed he was looking and gave him a little wave.

It seemed like years had gone by when the rain finally stopped falling. Tala seemed sad as the group stood to leave. They all said their thanks before leaving the cave. He waited for a few seconds after they departed before dashing to the cave entrance. Tala flinched a little when the gang looked back toward his home. "Thanks again bud. We'll come see you again tomorrow so don't go anywhere. And we'll bring some food too." "Guys, wait up a sec. I wanna try something." "Hilary? How do you know he won't bite?" "It's always wise to never bite the hand that feeds you, Daichi." The young red haired boy pouted with folded arms as Hilary slowly inched towards Tala. His fear of humans told him to run but the memory of Hilary's kindness encouraged him to stay put and let her touch him. Tala's body shook like a leaf as Hilary reached out to stroke his hair. "There now it's okay. I'm not gonna hurt you boy." It made Hilary happy to see Tala smiling as she scratched him behind the ear, rubbing his face against her arm. "You see guys. He's harmless. Well to me at least. I'll bring you some food later. Can you hang on until then?" Tala nodded and stepped a little further out of the cave, sniffing at the air for any sign of Karla's hounds. He relaxed upon smelling nothing but Hilary's perfume. "Well I'll be back later so stay inside where it's dry." Tala whined and flattened his ears as he watched Hilary walking away. Deep down he wanted her to stay and slather him in attention. Something about Hilary put Tala's mind at ease. Once his guests had gone, Tala returned to the fireplace he'd made to find it was dying out. The boys however were confused. "Hey one thing bugs me." "What's that Max?" "How did he make that fire?" "I'm not sure but if he didn't we'd probably be in bed with colds all weekend." "Hilary, I hope you're not thinking of taking him in." Hilary stayed silent, avoiding Kai's cold words. He knew by Hilary's silence that she probably would take Tala home soon.

As promised Hilary and her friends went back to Tala's cave the next day. They each held a bag in hand with their dinner and probably some treats for Tala. It was decided that Hilary should go into the cave first just in case. She felt awkward not knowing Tala's name yet. "Hello? Is anyone here?" When Hilary received no answer she went back outside just as Tala emerged from the river, a fish tucked between his jaws. The boys all backed off with displeased faces and complaints as Tala shook the water from his fur. "Here you are. I thought someone had taken you somewhere." Somehow, Tala failed to notice the boys as he plodded into his cave, plucking some leaves off a nearby bush as he went. Hilary chuckled at the looks on her friends' faces. "Come on guys, he didn't mean it. Let's not keep him waiting." The boys followed Hilary in silence, listening to what sounded like stones being bashed together. The cave was suddenly filled with light and Tala could be seen holding a sharp stick in the flames to cleanse it before spearing his meal with the torched wood. "You're a very clever boy aren't you?" When Tala noticed the remaining group members, he looked like a deer caught in headlights but Hilary was able to calm him down. With Tala out in the open, the guys got a good look at him. He was dangerously thin but Hilary aimed to change that. His fur needed a good brush as well as his matted red hair. The collar around Tala's neck seemed even tighter than he remembered it being and to his luck, nobody spotted it. Nobody but Kai. "This Hybrid is owned by somebody. We should take him back to his owner." Tala backed away snarling angrily as Kai approached him, ears folded back and eyes glaring. Tala's body was also low to the ground. There was no way in hell he'd go back to Karla alive. The boys didn't expect Hilary to defend Tala, standing in Kai's way. "Move aside, Hilary. It's the right thing to do." "No Kai. He's out here for a reason. What if his owner didn't want him? Or maybe he ran away. I won't let you take him back." "Then I'll use force if I have to. If he did run away his owner must be worried sick."

When staring harshly failed to make Hilary step aside, Kai grabbed her arm tightly and that made Tala very angry, growling louder and getting ready to pounce. "You shut up. You're going back home and that's final." 'Oh no I'm not. And I'll prove it if I have to pretty boy.' Kai seemed to read Tala's mind, stepping back away from Hilary but Tala stepped forwards, keeping up his angry front. He slowly started to calm down when Hilary stroked his hair. "So your name is Tala huh? That's a cute name." Tala bolted back his eyes burning with anger, mainly towards Kai and not Hilary. She couldn't understand why he was being so aggressive all of a sudden. "Kai, I think you should back off. Otherwise Tala will probably use you as a scratching post." Hilary became distracted when she heard what sounded like choking. She and the boys panicked when they saw Tala on the floor struggling for air. His collar appeared to be made of tanned leather and had shrunk so much it was crushing his airways. Hilary panicked more when she couldn't remove the collar. Kai took hold of the collar with both hands and pulled at it with all his strength. The others could only watch as he battled with the tough leather. Kai won the battle after a couple of minutes, dropping the broken collar to the floor. "That's my thanks for yesterday." "Tala are you okay? Look at me." Tala did as he was told, meeting Hilary's ruby eyes for the first time. "Whoever owned you must've been cruel, fastening a collar on that tightly. It's left a nasty mark around your neck." "It'll fade in time, Hilary. Hey bud. If you don't wanna go back to your owner, we'll respect that wish and tell nobody that we've seen you." Tala turned to the raven haired teen and sniffed his outstretched hand. "I'm not gonna hurt you Tala. I'm Ray." Hilary was glad to see Tala accepting Ray's offer of affection, rubbing against him playfully. "There ya go fella. We've got some stuff for you. Wanna see?"

Tala sniffed around rather excitedly until Hilary ordered him to sit. To her surprise he obeyed first time around. His acute sense of smell found a bag of treats in her pocket and in the bags. To everyone who wasn't Kai, Tala seemed harmless and in need of a home. Nobody expected Kai to leave the cave without a word. For some reason, seeing Kai leave made Tala sad. "It's okay Tala. He'll come around in time. Kai's not really a dog person." Tala's attention was soon grabbed by a toy rope in Max's hand. Within seconds, Max had been reeled into a tug of war game with Tala who had a playful look in his eyes. "Alright you asked for it buddy. Let's see what you can do." The others watched in silence as Max wrestled with Tala. Even with all his muscle, Max had trouble retrieving the rope. "Damn he's strong. A little too strong for someone so skinny." "Come on Max you can do it!" "Yeah show him who's boss!" Sadly Max lost the war soon after Tyson and Daichi cheered him on. Max suddenly had a cruel idea. He noticed the brunette boy hadn't been paying attention. Max grabbed a dog bone and gently set it upon the boys' head. Tala noticed the bone almost immediately, sneaking behind the young genius quietly. "So Kenny, what cha doing?" "Oh nothing. Just trying to keep an eye on Kai. To make sure he doesn't go to Tala's owner. Err Max? What are you looking at?" Max smiled sweetly at the boy he named Kenny, waiting for Tala to scare him shitless. Kenny froze when he heard a growl behind him but he had no time to move as Tala flew over his head, grabbing the pig-skin bone as he went. Kenny's face was priceless. The young boy had gone white with fear, his unseen eyes glued on Tala as he chewed the tough treat. "Who put that there?!" 'Whoever laughs first is charged as guilty.' Just as that thought ran through Tala's mind, Tyson started laughing and Kenny immediately turned to him. "Tyson?! It was you wasn't it?!" "No way Kenny! You should see the look on your face!" "It's not funny Tyson! He could've bit me!" Tala seemed hurt by Kenny's words and Hilary was the one to comfort him. "He doesn't mean it Tala. We have to go now."

"Aww but we just started to have fun, Hilary." "Tyson, you still have homework to do. I'm sorry we can't stay longer, Tala. And we won't be able to come and see you tomorrow." Hilary couldn't help but feel guilty as Tala gave her the cutest puppy-dog face that he could manage. Even the boys were weakened. Tala watched sadly as the boys packed up their stuff, leaving some food for him. He tried to follow Hilary but she stopped him at the cave entrance. "No Tala. You have to stay here and be a good boy. We'll try and come back soon I promise. Go on. Back inside." Tala didn't want to obey but the look on Hilary's face warned that she wasn't to be messed with so he sat down just inside the cave mouth and watched as his new friends walked away, whining sadly. Soon they were gone from his sight and Tala felt lonely. He wanted Hilary to come back and hold him in her arms where he felt safe. A week soon went by and Tala hadn't seen Hilary. But he knew she'd been by because there was always food outside his cave in the evening. A strange noise outside one chilly afternoon drew Tala from his home. He stayed back when his eyes identified a fight between a group of boys he didn't recognise. One of the bigger lads soon noticed Tala was watching them, grabbing him by the hair. "Well look what we have here fellas. A Hybrid who can't keep his nose out of other peoples' business. Let's teach him a lesson." Tala tried to fight the gang of bullies but they were too strong for him and their first victim left him to be beaten. Up in the streets, Hilary was busy doing a little shopping, a fire in her eyes. 'I won't let Tala be alone anymore. It's not fair that he has to suffer.' With her shopping trip done, Hilary made her way to the river. She was horrified to see the gang of boys kicking Tala around on the floor and he couldn't get up to defend himself. "Hey! Get the hell away from him!" Instead of turning on Hilary, the boys fled.

With the boys out of sight, Hilary ran to Tala's side to see how badly he was hurt. Tala's body was covered in large bruises where big feet had made contact and one of his eyes was swollen pretty badly. Even though Hilary had arrived too late, Tala was happy to see her. "Tala what happened? Who were those boys?" Tala winced in pain as Hilary stroked his cheek. 'I didn't do anything wrong. They just turned on me.' Hilary knew by the look in Tala's blue eyes that he'd been attacked for no reason, pulling him into her arms. "It's going to be okay now. I'm taking you home with me where you'll be safe and warm." Tala smiled happily, standing up on shaky limbs. He limped beside Hilary after she collected all his toys from the cave along with a bed cushion the boys had bought for him. It didn't take them long to reach Hilary's house and Tala was nervous about going inside. "It's okay. My parents aren't home right now. Come on I'll get you cleaned up and into your new shirt." 'Shirt? You mean I don't have to walk around naked anymore?' Tala followed Hilary eagerly as she entered the house and walked up the stairs. The house was full of alien scents that slightly scared Tala but he bravely kept on walking. The bathroom scared him the most. He remembered that Karla had tried to drown him every now and again because of how weak he was. Hilary noticed the fearful look in Tala's eyes as she filled the bath with water. "Hey what's wrong? Are you scared of water?" Tala nodded as he backed into a corner, tail between his legs. "Come now Tala. You know I won't hurt you." To calm Tala's racing heart, Hilary ran her fingers through his hair and he snuggled closer. They stayed like that until the bath was filled with enough water for Tala to submerge his beaten body in. With some coaxing, Hilary managed to get Tala into the bath and the water made his wounds sting a little. He relaxed when Hilary lathered his hair and fur with shampoo. "There that feels nice doesn't it?" Tala gave a slight purr as the back of his ear was scratched lovingly. Once he was squeaky clean Tala hopped out of the bath without being told so Hilary could dry him off.

After getting Tala nice and dry, Hilary tried to style his hair but it wouldn't stay in the position she put it in. Hilary gave up, knowing she'd probably end up hurting Tala eventually, brushing out the knots gently. Tala was glad his hair was the same. He liked it sticking out at the sides. Some strands did come loose so Hilary styled them instead, making them a little spiky as they hung in front of Tala's face. "Now with your hair kinda sorted out, I'll introduce you to your shirt." Tala's eyes danced when Hilary pulled the stated garment out of a bag. It was orange in colour with a thick blue stripe down the middle. Once on, the sleeves hung off Tala's shoulders. "Maybe I should've got a smaller size. But it suits you." Hilary received a thorough face licking from Tala as thanks, his tail wagging madly in happiness. "You're welcome. And I got you a new collar. Don't worry it's big and loose." Tala was of course a little nervous of the red spiked collar but he trusted Hilary not to hurt him. As promised, the collar hung around the bottom of Tala's neck. He also noticed a nametag fastened at the front. "So do you like it?" Tala nodded and cuddled up to Hilary with a yawn. "You must be tired. I'll set your bed up near mine so you can get some rest. My parents will be back soon but don't worry. I can pay for everything you need to survive." Tala's eyes were on the verge of closing as he watched Hilary from his seat on her bed. By the time Hilary turned around, Tala had fallen asleep where he sat. 'Aww bless him. I didn't know he was that tired. I'll leave him there for now. He's comfortable. But I'll need to be here when he wakes up.' Hilary smiled as she gently stroked the back of Tala's hair and to her surprise he didn't even flinch. Hilary went downstairs when she heard the front door opening. As foretold, her parents had returned. Hilary looked just like her mother whereas her father had long dark green hair and burgundy eyes.

The adults knew something was going on by the way Hilary looked at them. She would always give them puppy-dog eyes whenever there was something she wanted. Most people would be immune to such a face after having seen it about twenty times or more but Hilary's face was just too adorable. Her father stepped forwards and gave her a hug. "Alright Hilary what do you want this time?" He added a slight laugh to his tone so Hilary didn't get too upset. "Daddy. What would you say if I told you I wanted a Hybrid?" "As a pet? Hilary, sweetheart, we can't afford it." "I have my school allowance now so I can pay for it." Hilary's mother stepped forward, knowing something was rather odd about Hilary's actions. "Hilary. Tell me you haven't taken one off the streets? Years ago you hated Hybrids and never wanted one." "But mom, he was cold and lonely. I couldn't just leave him out there." "You can keep him on one condition." Hilary looked at her father with a glint in her eyes. "Yes daddy?" "You'll have to train him to behave accordingly. And he'll need to be walked daily." "Thank you daddy!" Hilary threw her arms around the giant she called a father and he ruffled her hair gently. "Just be careful pumpkin." "Don't worry. He's really quite a softy. Tala wasn't a stray. He fled from his last home but I'm not sure why." "Hybrids only run if they're being abused. Can we see him?" "Yeah. But keep the noise low. He's sleeping at the moment." Hilary's parents did as they were told and followed her quietly. To their surprise Tala had woken up and was currently trying to rid his backside of an irritating itch. "Oh you're awake. We'll that's convenient I suppose." Tala fell onto his back in fright, yowling as he went. Hilary was quick to soothe him, stroking his silky feeling hair softly. "It's okay. I'm sorry. I've brought someone to meet you." Tala wanted to run into a corner and curl up when he noticed Hilary's parents by the door. He was pulling the typical scared face, ears flat down, tail between legs and eyes wide. The swelling of his eye had gone down a little. "Tala, these are my parents. They're not going to hurt you."

Hilary's mother was about to step forwards when the front door opened and slammed shut, scaring Tala into hiding under the bed. Hilary rolled her eyes and made an attempt to get Tala out of hiding whilst her parents went to see to the new arrival. They smiled by half at seeing a boy no older than ten years old with dark green hair and ruby eyes. "Kirk, keep the noise down son." "Mom! Dad!" "We're happy to see you too son. But you'll have to calm down." "Is Hilary okay?" "She's fine but her new pet is scared out of his wits." "Pet?" The boy was confused and so went to confirm the claim of his father. Kirk found Hilary holding Tala in her arms as his body shook. "Hils?" "Kirk? What are you doing in my room?" "Dad said you have a new pet." "Yes and you scared him. It's alright Tala. You're safe here." Kirk moved closer to get a better look at Tala, being careful not to make any sudden noises or movements. "Did someone beat him up?" "A group of bullies." "Where'd he come from?" "For the last few weeks Tala's been living under the bridge by the river. His last owner was cruel so he's easily scared. Can you try and keep the noise down a bit?" "Sure thing sis. So his name's Tala huh?" "Yup." "How old d'ya suppose he is?" "No older than seventeen I would say. Can you watch him while I go to the bathroom?" "Okay. Can I pet him?" "Be gentle. And mind his wounds. Tala, this is Kirk. He's my little brother. I'll be right back so be nice." Fear took over Tala as Hilary stood up from her seat on the bed. She froze in place when his arms snapped around her waist. "Tala, I'm not going far. I just need to use the bathroom. Stop being silly." Kirk managed to catch Tala's attention by holding a toy under his nose. At first Tala was unsure of the sudden gesture but the smile on Kirk's face somehow reassured him so he took the toy without question. "There ya go boy. I'm not going to hurt you." With Tala distracted, Hilary left the room.

As the day went by, Tala relaxed around Hilary's family. They all played their part to make him feel comfortable. Even though Tala knew he was safe from harm, he still clung to Hilary. When it was time for bed, Hilary tucked Tala in to try and settle him off to sleep. "There you go Tala. It's been a long day today. So what do you think of my family? Do you like them?" Tala gave a small nod before yawning, flashing his sharp teeth. "I'll take good care of you Tala. That's a promise. Now go to sleep. I have to go to school tomorrow so you have to be a good boy and stay here. My dad will come and check on you at lunch time and give you something to eat. I should be back at around three o'clock maybe a bit later if Tyson's late. Goodnight Tala." Hilary planted a soft kiss on Tala's forehead before climbing into her bed and turning off the bedside lamp. Tala sat in the darkness for a while, unable to sleep. After five minutes he climbed into Hilary's bed and snuggled up to her. Hilary woke up when she felt Tala's body rubbing against hers. He fell asleep within seconds of her waking up. She smiled at seeing him sleeping peacefully, not having the heart to wake him up. 'He'll come around eventually. I hope Ray got my message earlier. It's gonna be hard for Tala tomorrow. I have faith that he'll be okay without me. I wonder where Tala's real family is. Does he even have one?' The thought of Tala being an orphan saddened Hilary so she pushed it to one side and cuddled up to him. With Karla however, she was furious that Tala had ran away from her. Boris was also rather annoyed but tried to deal with the problem rationally. He'd offered to get Karla a new, more obedient Hybrid but that only made her angrier. Despite being weak, Tala was her favourite of the four Hybrids she owned. He was her little baby and she wanted him back. There was a young man at Karla's side. He was quiet as Karla ranted and raved until she calmed down, remembering he was there. Karla stared into the auburn eyes that seemed to dance with happiness at her fury. Those eyes belonged to none other than Kai. "It's alright Karla. You'll find him eventually." "Oh Kai. I hope he's okay." "Don't worry love. He'll be fine." "You're right. I love you Kai." "I know you do Karla. That's why I'm here. For you and you alone."

When the first light of day shone over the horizon, Tala woke up with his usual stretch, yawn and scratch. He panicked upon finding Hilary missing. Tala darted out into the hallway only to bump into a pair of slim, sexy legs. Looking up, Tala noticed that they belonged to Hilary. "Hey what are you doing out here? I'm not going anywhere yet." Tala's face lit up, happy to hear that Hilary wasn't leaving just yet. His tail was banging on the floor so loudly Kirk was drawn out of his room. Kirk's face paled when he saw Hilary in nothing but a towel. "Morning sis." "I'm sorry Kirk did Tala wake you up?" "No. I just heard some loud banging." "That would be Tala's tail smacking the floor. Calm down you. Go on I'm coming now. What are you looking at Kirk?" The young man in question retreated to his room at the look on Hilary's face. By the time she got back to her room, Tala appeared to be sleeping on the bed. "You can't fool me Tala. I know you're awake." Hilary was surprised to see Tala was sleeping, his breathing shallow and steady. She shrugged and got ready for the day. Tala chose the moment Hilary removed the towel from her body to wake up and she failed to notice his blue eyes surveying her curves. Hilary's breasts were perfectly round and fairly sized. Her figure was slim and curved in all the right places. Tala's eyes lingered on Hilary's chest region and just looking at them got him very excited. To avoid being caught peeping, Tala closed his eyes with a soft sigh, catching Hilary's attention. She thought nothing of the noise and continued to dress herself. When Hilary turned around, Tala woke up again only to have a clear view of her ass this time. 'What is this fuzzy warmth I feel every time I look at Hilary? Can it be that I've done the forbidden thing? Is this feeling love? But she is attractive. Startlingly so. But I can't have her because it's apparently illegal for humans and Hybrids to have a relationship.'

Tala saddened at the fact that he and Hilary could never be together because of all the differences between their species. He closed his eyes once more just as tears began to build up. Hilary was completely unaware that Tala had seen her with no clothes on, continuing to dress herself. Since the school had no uniform and the weather was fine, Hilary wore a pair of tight silk shorts that were pink in colour, a strapless lilac belly top and tied a thin pink jumper around her waist. To complete the look Hilary grabbed a pair of lilac ankle length boots from her wardrobe. Despite wearing a strapless shirt, Hilary still wore a bra only it had invisible straps. "Hey Tala, how do I look?" Tala woke with a yawn, stretched and scratched his ears before looking at Hilary. She knew Tala's answer by the way his tail was wagging. "I thought you'd say that. Come on. Time for breakfast." Hilary was about to lead Tala downstairs when she heard a familiar voice and Tala recognised it too. "Oh no. Ray's here. Sorry Tala but the others can't find out just yet. Stay here and I'll come back in a second." Tala whined but he did as Hilary told him, returning to his bed. Hilary wore a fake smile as she walked into the kitchen. "Morning Ray. This is a surprise." "Hilary. You look adorable today." "Well I might as well make use of the sun while it's about. Could you wait outside a sec? I just need a private word with the family." "Sure. Take your time." Hilary let out a sigh of relief once Ray was outside. "Did you tell him?" "About what dearest?" "You know. Tala." "No dear. We'll leave that to you." "Good. I don't want the others to know just yet." "They know about Tala?" "Yeah they've all met him. When we got caught in the rain a while back, Tala allowed us to sit in his cave by a fire he'd lit. I don't think Kai likes him though." "So that's why you were nice and dry. It was very kind of him to do so. Well you'd better get going." "Okay. Shoot I left my bag upstairs. I'll be right back Ray." "Alright." Tala was happy to see Hilary returning to her room, cuddling up to her immediately. "I have to go now Tala. Be a good boy okay." Hilary kissed Tala on the cheek not expecting to get one back.

Hours went by and Tala was bored out of his mind despite having so many toys to play with. 'I wonder if she knows how I feel. This feeling. I've felt it before. When Karla was growing up into the girl she is now. She used to hug me everyday. But then the others got jealous and started to hurt me. After that Karla stopped loving me. I've always wondered what I did wrong. First I lose my parents. Then I was taken away from my little sister. After that my life looked up until that day the other Hybrids tried to kill me. And now I'm in Hilary's care. Where I'll hopefully be happy and loved. I haven't had that dream for a while. I've been thinking of them ever since it started playing in my head. Maybe they've forgotten about me. Especially our big brothers. And little sis. She must be a beautiful young Hybrid now. Just like mother. Mother.' Tala's thoughts drifted off at the thought of the vixen that gave birth to him, tears streaming down his cheeks. Tala was so busy crying he didn't hear Hilary's father walking into the room. "Hey Tala. What's the matter? I know you're missing Hilary but you'll get used to it soon enough. We had to. Or was there something else on your mind? You must miss your family huh. I'm pretty sure they're missing you too. Cheer up chum. Time for dinner." Tala met the mans' eyes, seeking for at least some comfort. He didn't expect to be hugged and stroked. "You'll be okay with us. We'll look after you Tala. I promise. Now dry your eyes. If Hilary has to come home and find you haven't eaten she'll have my head." For some reason, Tala found himself smiling as he followed Hilary's father down into the kitchen. Once he had some food in front of him, Tala was left in peace to eat and rest. Luckily he'd been trained to use a toilet at a young age. After eating his dinner, Tala returned to Hilary's room where he waited patiently for the day to go by. 'No matter what, I'll protect her. I don't want to be alone anymore.'

At the school, Hilary was feeling guilty about leaving Tala on his own. The guys all noticed that something was bothering her. They were on their lunch break, sitting out in the sun. Kai wasn't with them. He'd apparently called in sick. Hilary picked at her lunch, not paying attention to the surrounding area. That was until Karla 'accidentally' bumped into her. Hilary was apparently very easy to anger. "Watch where you're going bitch!" "Oh I'm so sorry. I thought you were someone else." "Back off Karla." "Well hello Ray. You're looking handsome again this afternoon." Ray snarled, not taking any of Karla's flirting. "Just leave Hilary alone Karla. Go pick on somebody else." Karla was about to do just that when Kai arrived out of nowhere. Karla had no chance to get close as Hilary grabbed her harshly by the hair, throwing Karla to the ground. "What the fuck is your problem?!" "Stay away from my friends." "Oh really? Then it'll surprise you to know that Kai is my boyfriend. He has been since Christmas." Hilary looked at Kai to see he was ignoring everything. "Seems to me like he's not interested." "That's enough Hilary." "Kai?" "Just back off. She speaks the truth." "I thought you could do better than this whore!" Kai sighed heavily and was about to take Karla somewhere quiet but she had other ideas. The boys were overcome with shock when Karla started a fight with Hilary and neither girl was winning. Ray decided he'd seen enough when Karla went to rip Hilary's shirt off, pulling the distraught and angry brunette away whilst Kai tried to stop Karla from attacking again, dragging her away by the arm. Hilary calmed down as Ray held her in his arms, stroking her now knotted hair. Sadly, the fight had not gone unnoticed as both Hilary and Karla were called to the head office. Ray went with Hilary for support and it was no real surprise to see Kai with Karla. After a little chat and prevention of another fight, the girls were sent home and suspended for the rest of the week. Hilary's mother was called to take her home whilst Karla was escorted to the mansion by Kai. Ray wanted to go with Hilary but she reassured him that she'd be okay.

There was tension in the car as Hilary sat in the front passenger seat. "What was the fight over this time Hilary?" "She started it mom." "That's not the point Hilary." "I didn't want the fight but she hit me first." "You called her a whore again didn't you?" "It's what she is! I don't know how Kai can stand her." "What's Kai got to do with this?" "He's been seeing that slag since Christmas and never told us he had a partner." "Maybe this is why he didn't tell you Hilary." "I wonder if he knows that she's been sleeping with other guys behind his back." Hilary's mother sighed as they arrived home. "Look honey. I'm sure Kai knows what he's doing. You can't keep doing this." "I don't see why I should be suspended too. She hit first." "Just go inside Hilary. I'll talk with you later. I've got work to do." "Okay mom. I'm sorry. I guess my worry for Tala played a part too." "Then go and check on him. I'll try and convince your father not to ground you for this." Hilary pecked her mother on the cheek and went inside. Tala's ears pricked up when he heard the door open and close. Tala soon found himself in Hilary's arms as she cried into his neck. He'd never seen this side to a person and so it scared him to see Hilary in such a poor state. Tala licked her cheek and tried his best to comfort her. "I'm sorry Tala. I never wanted you to see me like this. I've been so worried about you all day. Now I'm suspended from school for the rest of the week. That bitch Karla started it." 'Karla? It can't be the same girl.' Tala spaced out for a moment and Hilary noticed. "Tala? You…didn't belong to her did you?" Tala shook his head to say no even though it was a lie. But he wasn't ready for Hilary to know just yet. Hilary seemed satisfied as she pulled Tala to lie down with her on the bed. He didn't fight, allowing himself to be cuddled. 'It's okay. I'm here for you.' Hilary soon fell asleep so Tala wriggled free and covered her with a blanket, staying by Hilary's side.

At five o'clock in the evening Hilary's parents returned home. Hilary was so nervous she refused to leave her room. Tala knew something was wrong. It wasn't like Hilary to be so withdrawn. He flinched when Hilary's father yelled for her to get downstairs. Tala knew the tone well and he too was fearful, unsure of what the man was capable of doing. It was apparent by the look on the woman's face that she'd tried to calm her husband. Luckily Kirk was out with friends. "Dad I…" "No buts Hilary! This is the fifth time now! When are you going to learn?!" "I didn't start it! She did!" "You should've walked away!" "I tried to!" All eyes shifted to Tala when growling filled the room. He'd flattened his ears back, teeth bared and body low to the ground with a look of warning in his eyes. Hilary's father momentarily diverted his attention back to the matter at hand. "As of tonight you'll go without supper until your suspension is over." "William! That's too harsh!" "Shut up Louise! She has to learn from her mistakes and this is the only way! You're also grounded for a month! And don't try sneaking out either." When Hilary tried to protest, William raised his hand. Tala watched the large hand closely as it made a beeline for Hilary's cheek, leaping up to stop it's course. Hilary had her eyes closed, waiting for the impact but when none came she grew concerned. William was in a state of shock as he looked into Tala's eyes. Hilary couldn't believe what she was seeing. Tala had bitten William to stop him from hurting her. "Tala. You…but why?" William gave Tala no chance to answer, throwing him across the room and he hit the wall with a yelp of pain. "Tala!" "He'll regret that later." Hilary tried running to Tala but William stopped her, his eyes hard as stone. "And don't think you're getting out of your punishment either young lady." Before William could raise his hand again Louise intervened, giving Hilary chance to escape with Tala. "Leave them alone William! I already told you that Karla started the fight. I spoke with Hilary's friends and they confirmed that Karla hit a raw nerve but Hilary tried to walk away. Ask them if you want. But leave my little girl alone."

After retreating to her room, Hilary cried into her pillows leaving Tala to watch. He tried everything to gain her attention but nothing worked. Tala soon noticed a collection of stuffed toys on a low shelf. He plodded over and picked the first one in sight, a white wolf with big brown eyes. Tala nudged Hilary gently with the stuffed animal and she slowly took it from him. The toy seemed to hold fond memories for Hilary as she cuddled it. "Thank you…Tala. You didn't have to protect me." 'But I wanted to. You've looked after me.' "This is my favourite stuffed toy. Her name is Wolborg. She's a white wolf. You look like a wolf too. With the bravery of one." 'I'm not brave. I acted on impulse. He was going to hurt you.' Hilary smiled and ruffled Tala's hair gently. It was almost as if she could read his mind. "You're no coward, Tala. I know you're not. You just need to find your courage. Here." Tala was confused when Hilary held out the plush wolf for him to take. "You can have her. Wolborg helped me to find my bravery. She's the reason I'm so strong. Maybe if you hold onto Wolborg, you'll find your bravery." 'Thank you. I'll try to be brave. Wolborg. She's very pretty.' Hilary knew by the look in Tala's eyes that he'd fallen in love with the plush toy. "She'll also keep you company when I'm gone next week." 'She smells just like you.' Tala became distracted when Hilary yawned. He knew she needed to sleep but didn't feel comfortable trying to undress her. Tala bravely went downstairs and rubbed his face against Louise's leg to get her attention. "What is it Tala? Are you hungry?" Louise watched as Tala tried to tell her that Hilary needed dressing for bed so in the end she followed him upstairs. "I see. Good boy. That's very respectful of you. Wait outside and I'll be done shortly." Instead of leaving the room, Tala hid his face in one of Hilary's pillows and Louise laughed when she noticed a blush on Tala's cheeks. She figured he'd already seen Hilary naked.

Over the next few days Tala tried to make Hilary happy but most of his attempts failed. She would smile occasionally just to reassure him that he wasn't being ignored. Even though Hilary was in the room with him, Tala still felt lonely. He'd also stopped eating when Hilary had to go to bed without supper. On the Saturday, William went out to work as something had come up. Her supper ban was now lifted and Tala couldn't be happier. With her father out for the day, Hilary spent some time with Louise. Kirk kept Tala occupied by playing fetch with him in the back garden. It was a good job too because Ray knocked on the door. Whilst Hilary let Ray in, Louise went to tell Kirk to keep the noise down outside and not to bring Tala inside for a while unless it was absolutely necessary. Ray could see that Hilary had been dealt a harsh punishment by the look in her eyes. "I thought I'd come see how you were doing. After the fight." "I'm okay. But my dad didn't take it lightly." "I figured he wouldn't. I'm guessing he grounded you." "Yeah. Otherwise I would've come to see you all. I guess he wanted to make sure his no supper for a week punishment stuck." "What?! That's hardly fair. Karla started it." "He knows that but life feels that I should be punished for what she does." "Oh Hilary. How long are you grounded for?" "A month. He's not here right now. Something came up at work." There was a concerned look in Ray's eyes when Hilary's empty stomach made itself known. Louise left the room silently and Ray knew she felt guilty about the punishment that had been dealt to Hilary. With Louise gone, Ray moved closer to Hilary and kissed her cheek. Hilary did nothing to stop Ray as he moved to kiss her lips, his hold a little tighter. "Ahem." Ray broke the kiss in shock to see Louise had come back, a mock look of anger on her face. "Aww I'm just playing with ya Ray. So long as you treat my girl with respect I'm happy." "You know I will Louise." "Take it upstairs." As they were told, Ray and Hilary went upstairs to have some privacy. Once there they shared a more passionate kiss, lying on the bed. "Oh Ray I've missed you." "I've missed you too Hilary."

Hilary tried not to make too much noise as Ray kissed a trail down her neck all the way to her collar bone where he lingered for a moment but his hand went lower. It pleased Ray to see Hilary enjoying herself. "You like that don't you Hilary? And if I'm not mistaken, you want more." Ray got Hilary's answer when she grabbed him between the legs and squeezed a little. "You know what I want Ray. Don't leave me disappointed." "I'll try not to." Hilary seized Ray's lips as he began to remove her clothes slowly and gently, stripping him in return. Ray's body was well toned. Hilary was always amazed at the softness of Ray's skin each time she touched it. His pecs rippled under Hilary's fingers as she traced a line down to his deep abs. Hilary grinned when she felt something poking against her leg. "Getting excited Ray? I know your friend is." "You always excite me, Hilary. If I could make love to you everyday I most definitely would. Now where'd I put that condom?" "Looking for this?" Ray smiled at seeing a small square packed between Hilary's teeth and he knew she was trying to tease him. "You sneaky little devil. If you want some you'll have to give that here." "You want it come get it big boy." Ray did just that, playfully tackling Hilary back to the bed. He eventually got the little square packet from her after a tickling fit. Hilary threw her head back and moaned deeply when Ray started making love to her, gently at first before picking up the pace. Little that they knew, Louise was listening outside Hilary's door. She smiled and walked away after a few minutes. 'It'll break Tala's heart when he finds out about this. I can see that he 'likes' Hilary but law states that humans and Hybrids are two different species and therefore they're not allowed to engage in sexual activities. Plus I don't think Hilary feels that way about Tala. Why do love triangles have to be so messed up?' With a low sigh, Louise went to check on Kirk and Tala as they were still in the garden.

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So what do you all think? Only a few teams have been demoted to being Hybrids. I plan on F-Dynasty and maybe BEGA.

Until the next chappie chaps, c'ya


	2. Chapter 2

Here's chapter two for those of you who have kept reading. Until further notice, this will be the last update. I'm working on chapter three currently and it won't be up for a bit. I might bring the White Tigers in soon, maybe in chapter four.

A word of warning, there will be violence in later chapters.

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2

Re-Introduction

Ray left after a couple of hours, wanting to spend as much time with Hilary as he could. Hilary was happy after being boned. Ray was lucky she allowed him to leave before he got into trouble with her father. Tala was confused when he noticed Hilary had perked up. Louise thought of telling him that Hilary was in love with a human boy but she didn't want to break his heart. He and Hilary had their supper before William got back to avoid tension building up. They spent the evening cuddling up on Hilary's bed and Tala could smell a vaguely familiar scent. At first he was almost reluctant to go near the bed and Hilary had been confused with his actions. Tala quickly put two and two together, saddening at the thought of Hilary being in love with someone else. When night time came around Hilary tucked Tala into his bed as usual before climbing into her own. Once Tala was sure Hilary had gone to sleep he crawled out of his bed and snuck into hers. He sneezed a little when he found the new scent on Hilary, feeling somewhat jealous of her lover. Hilary mumbled in her sleep as Tala snuck under her gown, identifying where she'd been touched by Ray and he stopped at her breasts. 'His scent is stronger here than anywhere else so far. What did he do to make her so happy? Did he groom her? Or maybe he…he…' Tala forced the thought out of his mind to investigate further. He looked up through the neck hole to see Hilary was still sleeping peacefully, mumbling ever so slightly. She moaned a little when Tala licked her nipple a few times. Soon, Tala's inner child took over and he took the entirety of Hilary's nipple into his mouth and she moaned a little louder. 'This feeling is so…familiar. It's as if I've done this before. But when? And why?' Hilary slowly started to come around from her slumber when Tala cupped the breast he was sucking on with his hands, his eyes closed as he tried to remember why he recognised the feeling he was getting. "Ray? Is that you? What are you doing here at this time of night?"

Tala didn't seem to notice when Hilary ran her hands up his back, slowly making their way to his head as he continued to suckle on Hilary's breast. Her eyes opened wide when she didn't feel Ray's spiky black hair. Instead she found Tala's outward pointing hair. Lifting her nightie, Hilary's suspicions were confirmed when she saw Tala was latched onto her breast. "T…Tala? What are you doing?" Hearing Hilary's voice snapped Tala out of his trance and he looked up, not letting go of her nipple. He blinked a few times, unsure of how to react and what must be going through Hilary's mind. Hilary found that she couldn't be mad at Tala as he looked so innocent staring up at her, his hands unflinching. In the end Hilary sighed and stroked Tala's hair. "You must really miss your mom huh. It's okay. I understand. But I don't want to find my nipple in your mouth when I wake up in the morning. Do I make myself clear?" Tala wagged his tail in response to show he understood. "Good boy. You can smell him can't you? That's why you've been so uneasy isn't it? Because Ray was here with me." 'Ray? I know that name. It can't be the same Ray.' "I'm sorry Tala. I wanted to tell you but with everything that's happened I just forgot. I can see that you have feelings for me. And I like you too. But we can't be together." It took a few minutes for everything Hilary said to sink into Tala's brain. He went to relinquish his hold on Hilary's nipple but for some reason she stopped him. "You don't have to stop, Tala. In truth I kinda like it. But don't try anything else otherwise you'll be out of this room quicker than lightning boy." Tala nodded as if to say yes ma'am and resumed his previous activity. It made him happy to hear Hilary moaning in her sleep until he too, drifted off to the land of dreams.

In no time a month went by and Hilary was allowed out again. Every few nights, Hilary had allowed Tala to suckle from her, even though she couldn't give him anything. When Hilary's first free weekend came up, she took Tala to see the others, only telling the boys that she had a surprise for them. Tala was understandably nervous about meeting the boys again, especially if he found out that the Ray he smelt on Hilary was the same Ray he'd already met. To protect his hands, Hilary had bought Tala a pair of fingerless orange gloves that were made of leather and had the same blue stripe on them to match his favourite shirt that he wore almost constantly. Nobody cared to question Hilary about how Tala came into her care, knowing that he was better off with her. "Here we are. Granger Dojo. This is where Tyson lives. Are you ready to meet the gang again?" Tala nodded no and tucked his tail between his legs, ears flat to his paled cheeks. "It's okay. They won't hurt you." Tala cowered behind Hilary's legs as she led him through the gates and into the front yard. He stopped walking when she removed her shoes, finding it odd. "Hello? Anybody home?" "Hilary!" Tala almost bolted when most of the boys came running from the other room. "Okay guys I know you missed me but I can't breathe." "Are you okay? Did your dad hurt you?" It was Max to speak first, his blue eyes shining with worry. "I'm alright Max. Have you all done your homework?" Tyson and Daichi shrunk back at the tone of Hilary's voice. "I knew you two wouldn't! But first I have a surprise for you." "What is it?" "Is it a cake?" Hilary sighed at Tyson and Daichi's childishness, giving a tiny tug on the leash attached to Tala's collar. The boys were shocked into silence when Tala slowly poked his head out from behind Hilary's leg. "Surprise." "Is that…Tala?" "Come on. They're not going to bite." Tala did as he was told, sitting at Hilary's side to scratch his ear. The boys now seemed more happy than shocked but Hilary stopped them from smothering Tala in unwanted attention. "It is Tala. Hey buddy. Remember us?"

Tala shied away from Max when he offered a hand, leaving the happy blonde confused. "Hey what's wrong with him?" "He's scared Max. Tala hasn't seen any of you for a while and doesn't remember your faces. Where's Kai?" "Take a guess Hils. Ever since that fight he hasn't come back." "Fine. Not that he liked Tala anyway." "How long has Tala been with you?" "His second month this month." "No wonder he's so fond of you. I got kinda worried when I didn't find him in his cave. We were gonna feed him whilst you were grounded." Hilary smiled sweetly and gave Max a hug. Tala held his breath, waiting to see if she kissed him until he remembered her calling him Max. "Thanks Max. That was very sweet of you. Where's Ray?" "Take a guess Hilary." "As usual. Stay here, Tala. I'll be right back." Hilary handed the leash to Max so she could go and see what Ray was up to in the kitchen. Tala however had other ideas when Tyson tried to tempt him with a biscuit. Max was literally dragged across the room as Tala pulled on the leash. Max eventually let go so Tala didn't hurt himself. The others watched as Tala listened by the kitchen door. Tala's fears were confirmed when he heard Ray flirting with Hilary. The boys were confused when Tala moved sadly away from the door, ignoring them when they tried to comfort him. Tala didn't seem to notice Max slipping into the kitchen to inform Hilary that he was upset. "Hey Hils. Tala's not looking too hot out there." "What's wrong with him?" "He looks heartbroken if anything. I tried to stop him but he's too strong." Ray was struggling to understand what was going on. "Tala? The same Tala from that cave?" "I didn't want him to be lonely anymore Ray. I never told you sooner coz he needed to settle down first. Tala knows." "Figures. So I'm guessing I now have to earn his trust?" "Maybe. It's hard to know what he's thinking. Is that freshly cooked?" Hilary pointed at a cold chicken sitting on the side. "Yeah. Why?" "Well the fastest way to Tala's heart is through his stomach." "I get it."

Tala coiled around Hilary the second she became visible, noticing Ray's scent on her body. To try and make Tala feel better, Hilary hugged him gently and stroked his hair that was looking dishevelled from the wind. "Hey what's wrong? I'm not going anywhere Tala." 'You let him touch you. Why? Do you like him more than me? Do you even want me?' "Stop being so silly. I'd never throw you back onto the streets. You have a special place in here." Hilary placed a hand over her heart, trying to make Tala see that she wasn't rejecting him. The smell of cooked chicken hit Tala's nose and he followed it to the kitchen door. Ray only had his hand visible so Tala didn't feel threatened. Tala sniffed the chicken, then the fingers that held it and he backed away, recognising Ray's scent. 'If he thinks I'm stupid he's got another thing coming. Karla's father tried this and it got him bitten. But why am I so jealous? I can't have Hilary for my own. Maybe I'm just frightened of being abandoned again.' When Ray could still feel the chicken between his fingers he slowly poked his head out of the door to see Tala with a very unamused face. "Hey buddy. Long time no see." Tala disregarded Ray's kindness, growling a little before walking over to Hilary with his tail high. "H-hey. I was only being nice." 'You were treating me like a wild animal that can't be trusted.' Tala's thoughts seemed to reach Ray and he sighed. "Look, Tala. I've got nothing against you. I understand that your previous life wasn't exactly what I'd call pleasant but Hilary was mine first. I'm not saying you have to leave. Hilary has a special love for you that I don't really understand. But I'd like to. I don't want you to see me as a threat, Tala." 'Too late. I promised to protect Hilary no matter what. If I have to hurt you, I will. To me, everyone is a threat if they go near Hilary. I can never be certain if someone means to hurt her.' Ray realised that his nice guy regime wasn't working so he gave up, retreating to the kitchen. "Tala, what's gotten into you? Ray just wants to be your friend."

Tala looked at Hilary, trying to find why she was defending Ray. His search was interrupted by the entrance of a tall man about twenty years old with light blue hair, mahogany eyes and bronze skin. It took the new male a few minutes to notice Tala. "When did we get a Hybrid?" "Err, bro. he's not ours." "What do you mean Tyson?" "Tala belongs to Hilary, Hiro. And right now we're trying to get him to accept Ray as a friend." The man now named Hiro looked at Tala more closely. "I've seen you somewhere before. Hilary, where'd you find Tala?" Hilary wanted to answer but Tala wouldn't give her the chance. "Tala, stop it. Hiro's not going to hurt you." "He's insecure. I'll let it slide for now. Wherever Tala came from, he definitely doesn't want to go back. Does he bite?" "Only people who attempt to hurt me. Tala bit my father when he tried to hit me. I really didn't expect him to be so protective." Hiro nodded, slowly holding out his hand for Tala to sniff. "Hey bud. I'm not gonna hurt you. I'm Tyson's big brother." Hiro was relieved when Tala accepted him. "You're probably thinking, great another loudmouth. But I'm not much like Tyson. I've grown out of such appalling behaviour. I'm sure we'll get along just fine. Well I have to go change. I've been running around like a blue arse fly today." "You do pong a bit, Hiro." "Shut your mouth Tyson. When was the last time you had a shower?" Hiro's question got Tyson thinking. "Don't answer. I really don't want to know. Where are Kai and Ray?" "Ray's in the kitchen coz Tala doesn't like him and Kai's probably getting freaky with his whore." "Okay then." Not long after Hiro left, an old man walked in. He had white hair tied into a ponytail, a big white moustache and shining brown eyes. He was dressed in a kimono. "Yo lil' dude! Time for your kendo training!" The tone of the mans' voice frightened Tala as he hid in a far corner. "Grandpa. You just scared Tala." "Tala? Who might that be?" "Hilary's pet Hybrid. You've gotta keep your voice down otherwise you'll give him a heart attack."

Tyson's Grandpa seemed apologetic as he walked over to Tala, a kendo stick in his hand which Tala didn't like, seeing it as a weapon. Everyone was left confused when Tala started growling rather dangerously. "Grandpa, I don't think he likes your stick." "Why not?" "We have a hunch that Tala might've been abused before we met him." "Well alright. Easy now. I'm gonna put this down." Tala watched with critical eyes as Grandpa Granger lowered his kendo stick to the floor. Even now the old man was unarmed; Tala associated the stick with him, growling even louder. "Chill dude. I mean you no harm." Hilary stepped in to calm Tala but he almost turned on her instead. "Tala, what's wrong? This isn't like you." "Somebody has to show him who's boss." All eyes turned to the new voice. Nobody expected it to be Kai at the door, a Harpy Eagle sitting on his shoulder. "Kai? What do you mean?" "For instance. The old man here approached him holding a weapon. Now what would you think of someone if they walked to you with a baseball bat in their hands?" "Err. They wanna play ball?" "No Tyson. If Tala was abused, he will associate things with people. He's defending himself. Despite the old man now being unarmed, he's still considered a threat. So somebody has to put Tala in his place. He may not like it but that's what needs to be done. And since Tala belongs to Hilary, this job is hers." "But Kai I…" "Do you want him to stay like this forever?" "No. Won't Tala hate me if I scold him for protecting himself?" "You have no choice. Threats of punishment work well in these situations. Try and sound stern and angry. He'll respond to that." "Hopefully not the wrong way." "I'll do it." Ray stepped out of the kitchen, a mean look on his face. "Ray?" "If I'm going to earn his respect, I need to stand my ground. Especially if Hilary and I take our relationship further." 'Try me.' 'Be careful what you wish for Tala. You just might get it.' Ray was about to set Tala straight when Hiro returned smelling all rosy. He almost tripped when Tala ran to him.

"Hey now what's the matter? Gramps, did you scare him?" "I'm not entirely sure Hiro. The pup didn't like my kendo stick but he didn't calm down when I put it on the floor. Kai says he needs correcting since he almost went for Hilary." "A classic sign of abuse. Kai I thought you weren't going to show up." "I changed my mind. I'm not wanted elsewhere." "Fine. Tala's just scared. It doesn't help with there being so many people in the room. He could feel intimidated. I don't think Tala should be punished. He's done nothing wrong by trying to protect himself." "But bro, Hilary could've been bitten." Now that Tala was calm, Hilary tried approaching him again but her timing was ill. Tala caught a whiff of something threatening in the air, backing away in his defensive pose. Tala's glare was directed at Kai and Kai alone. 'I can smell the others on him. He's definitely been to see Karla recently. I can't trust him. If he finds out that I belonged to her, its game over and I'll be punished by death.' "Is there a problem you mangy mutt? If not then stop staring. My bird is not for eating." "Err Kai. I think he doesn't like you." "Tough luck. He'll have to learn to like me." Tala really didn't like the tone of Kai's voice or his attitude, growling with enough venom to make Hiro back off. Tala watched as Kai moved out to the back yard with his eagle, relaxing once he was out of sight. Tala's stomach soon made itself known so Hilary went to get him something. Max got Tala to relax by the sofa on some cushions so that he didn't get the urge to rip Kai to shreds. 'Man those two are like oil and water. We'd better keep them apart from now on. Maybe we should take Tala to the park one day. Let him play with other Hybrids. I think that would make him really happy. I'll see what Hilary says about it.' Max soon became distracted by Tyson wanting to pull a practical joke on Kai, again. Despite knowing there'd be punishment, he went along. Tala watched curiously until Tyson, Max and Daichi ran for their lives from a severely pissed off and soaking wet Kai who walked with haste to catch the jokers.

Days went by one by one and Tala couldn't be happier. He and Hilary spent their weekends with Tyson. Max had spoken with Hilary about his idea and she really liked it. A month later on a Sunday, Hilary and the gang took Tala to the park. The sun was high in the sky and families were out and about with Hybrids. It made Hilary smile when Tala joined in a game of chase with some younger Hybrids. Never before had she seen such agility as Tala sprinted after the youngsters. Max had Tala's attention as he pulled out a blue Frisbee from his bag. "Hey Tala. Go fetch." The circular disc whizzed through the air with Tala hot on its heels. Hilary thought the Frisbee was flying too high for Tala to catch but he proved her wrong, leaping into the air and over some heads. Nobody knew what to say about the height Tala was able to reach. Max pushed it aside and took the Frisbee from Tala. "There's a good boy. Go on, go get it." This time Max threw the disc a little lower. Nobody expected a female Hybrid to catch the Frisbee at the same moment Tala's teeth clamped down on it. They fought for a few seconds until Tala met the vixens' eyes. Frosty blue met tranquil purple. Tala released the flying toy, getting a better look at his new playmate. Her hair was long and coloured red just like his but it spiked a little at the front she had the ears and tail of a fox. The new vixen also had Tala's face. 'It can't be. Little sis?' Hilary watched with the others as Tala sniffed at the vixen to confirm his suspicions. She appeared to recognise him, tears growing in her purple eyes. 'It really is little sis! I remember that sweet scent anywhere.' Tala kissed the vixen he believed to be his little sister just as a human girl arrived. She looked to be the vixen's owner. "Who is this Salima? Do you know him?" 'Sis, it's me. Please try to remember.' Tala tried his best to get her attention but nothing seemed to work until two male Hybrids entered the park. They both had brown hair but their eyes were different. The taller, broader male had the same hairstyle as Tala with the same blue eyes whilst the shorter, thinner Hybrid had spiky shoulder length hair and purple eyes.

The new twins also had different ears and tails. The blue eyed male had the ears and tail of a wolf whereas his twin had the features of a fox. They noticed Tala the same moment he noticed them. Unlike the vixen, the boys remembered their little brother, charging forwards to hold him tight. Tala sprang to life, heading towards the sprinting twins. Hilary and the others could only watch as Tala snuggled up to the bigger Hybrids as they playfully pushed him to the floor and nibbled his ears. 'Brothers!' The owners of the new Hybrids weren't far behind. They were young men of similar builds to the Hybrids. Thinking that Tala was really being attacked, the twin human boys pulled the Hybrid brothers back. "Toru get off of him." "Bad Seto! Are you alright little guy? Hey wait a second. He looks like Toru, Xander." "You're right Corey. He does. Come here little fella. We won't hurt you." Tala nervously stepped towards the brothers, not knowing that the vixen and her owner were watching. The boy named Corey gently ruffled Tala's hair whilst reaching out for his nametag. "Tala huh? Hey Xander. Do you suppose he's that red haired pup we saw way back when we adopted these guys?" "He could be. The shop owner would know for sure. Hiya Taylor! Salima's looking beautiful again today." Salima blushed at Xander's comment whereas her owner moved towards the brothers. "Of course she is, Xander. I can't have my little girl looking all gnarly now can I?" Taylor's voice held a sweet flowing country accent that made Max's heart leap. Salima soon remembered the Frisbee that had drawn her towards Tala, returning it to him so he could give it back to Max. "Looks like you're making friends out there buddy. That sure is a pretty lady. And I don't just mean her owner." 'Watch how you speak about my baby sister, Max.' Tala was soon called back to his brothers and he happily complied. "Max, I think that's his family. Not new friends."

Out of curiosity, everyone but Kai followed Tala. The brown haired twins immediately grew defensive until Tala curled around Hilary's legs, proving to them that she was harmless. Salima however cowered behind the protective males. "It's okay Salima. They won't hurt you sweetie. Howdy. I guess one of ya'll owns this fine feller?" "That would be me." Hilary stepped forwards happily, ruffling Tala's hair. Now that Hilary got a closer look, she could see the resemblance between the four Hybrids. "That's a very pretty dress your Hybrid is wearing." "Thanks. My name's Taylor. You are?" "Hilary." "Pleasure to meet ya. Your Hybrid sure does look a lot like my Salima here. She's been my closest friend since we was little. Poor gal was scared and all alone in that pet shop." "Yeah those places can be really lonely." Corey stepped up next, his platinum silver hair flowing in the gentle breeze, apple green eyes shining like gems. "We got our boys from the same place. Turns out they're related." Corey indicated from Toru and Seto to Salima. "The shop keeper told us that their parents died from being poisoned. They used to live on the streets. I can't begin to imagine how hard that must've been. I remember there being a red haired male with them. This guy looks a lot like that pup. Toru and Seto seem to think he's the same one." "Well they do look a lot like each other. Minus the hair and fur colour." "Well the red haired male was very protective of Salima. Nobody could get close to her except the shop keeper who he took to as a second father. We met Taylor upon starting school and we've all been together ever since. How did you meet Tala, Hilary?" Hilary looked down at Tala. His eyes were begging her not to tell Corey the full truth. 'Please tell him I was a stray. The others will understand.' "He was a stray, Corey. Poor thing was dying of hunger out there." "Poor fella. Must've disliked his last home then. We went back a month after getting these guys to see if the other two were still there looking for a home but they'd both been taken."

Tala became sad when he remembered his parents and how they'd died. Hilary noticed Tala's sadness so she moved to comfort him. Seeing Tala upset brought memories forward in Salima's mind and she too gave him affection. "I guess seeing Tala unhappy has helped Salima to remember all the times he was there for her when these guys were being bullies. Being bigger, they were definitely the first born pups." Hilary turned to Xander as he stroked Toru's wild hair. Like Toru and Seto, Xander was a little different to Corey. His eyes were coloured like blueberries. His hair was also much longer than Corey's, reaching his lower back. "I'm sure these guys would like to keep in touch and bond a bit better so why don't we get together some other time? I reckon that Kane will be missing Salima." "Indeed he will. Let's go Salima. It was nice meeting ya'll. Maybe we'll see you at school." Tala whined a little as Salima walked away with Taylor. Toru and Seto cuddled Tala lovingly before leaving with their masters. Despite watching his siblings leave, Tala was happy to know they were all alive and being well cared for. After a few more hours of playing, Hilary took Tala home so he could get some rest. On their way back. Tala caught a glimpse of a beautiful female Hybrid with pink hair and eyes. She appeared to have the ears and tail of a Saluki, her figure slim and athletic. Tala's mind raced with questions about the vixen. Who was she? Would he ever get to meet her? When it was time for bed, Tala snuggled up to Hilary, still thinking about the adorable girl he'd seen and now fancied. Hilary could tell by the look on Tala's face that he'd seen a Hybrid he liked. 'Looks like Tala's been bitten by the love bug now. I wonder if we'll get to meet the Hybrid that has his eye. And I'm willing to bet he can't wait to see his siblings again. It's unfortunate that their owners didn't give us any way to contact them.' Hilary closed her ruby eyes, in need of rest before a long day at school could begin. Louise poked her head into the room to see Hilary and Tala were fast asleep.

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There you have it guys. Once chapter three is written up I'll get it uploaded.

Ciao!


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